[Rich Wilts]

Thanks. I always appreciate a balanced response, I tend to think it reflects well on the other person.

Please don't take my questioning in a poor light, if I am to attend a course on health and safety I want to know the person running it and the organisation behind it is up to the job. False information can be just as harmful as no information.

You might consider Steve that when I attended a course on MEWPS in Southampton run by Facelift they didnt attract the same level of questioning as you have on here as they have a proven track record, built up over many years. This is something that Solar Clean doesn't have yet.  This is why the questioning is the way it is. Try to see it from your customers angle.

[Smudger]

Thanks. I always appreciate a balanced response, I tend to think it reflects well on the other person.

Please don't take my questioning in a poor light, if I am to attend a course on health and safety I want to know the person running it and the organisation behind it is up to the job. False information can be just as harmful as no information.

You might consider Steve that when I attended a course on MEWPS in Southampton run by Facelift they didnt attract the same level of questioning as you have on here as they have a proven track record, built up over many years. This is something that Solar Clean doesn't have yet.  This is why the questioning is the way it is. Try to see it from your customers angle.

Well put Matt - this is my view as well, should Steves training be backed up with an official body, rather than self cert then that I feel is more protection for him.

Darran

[Rich Wilts]

 

[telfordwindowclnr]

Thanks. I always appreciate a balanced response, I tend to think it reflects well on the other person.

Please don't take my questioning in a poor light, if I am to attend a course on health and safety I want to know the person running it and the organisation behind it is up to the job. False information can be just as harmful as no information.

You might consider Steve that when I attended a course on MEWPS in Southampton run by Facelift they didnt attract the same level of questioning as you have on here as they have a proven track record, built up over many years. This is something that Solar Clean doesn't have yet.  This is why the questioning is the way it is. Try to see it from your customers angle.

Fair enough. 

[ChumBucket]

Or... to put it another way- you've won Stevie Boy... hands down!! Well done!

[Smurf]

The way that I look at it Solar Steve has a legal responsibility for the H&S of his network of subcontractors hence why the training day has been put in place.  He is only interested in subs to cover the postcode areas he wants covered that are willing to pay to attend the training day which is fare enough if you want the opportunity to be given work from him.

Nobody is twisting your arm as either you want to work for him or you don't 

[8weekly]

Steve when you say 'Approved' you mean someone who has paid YOU to go on YOUR course of YOUR design overseen by YOU? Right? Which doesn't stand for much really does it.

I'd like to ask a question. When you start flogging 'courses' (I put it in brackets because approved courses are overseen, they subscribe to a standard that has to be achieved or surpassed and that doesn't happen with your 'courses') who overseas that what you're selling and how you are operating are done in a legal and competent manner? That the service you supply and information you teach is correct. Also if it was proven that an operative was either seriously injured or killed as a direct result of mis-information supplied by yourself or your company where would the victims family stand in a compensation point of view. Where would your business stand. And where would you personally stand knowing that in a given situation that person had been killed because of a poorly managed setup that was your conception?

Matt, we had a perfectly civilised conversation on the phone the other day. Why now on the forum have you changed tone completely?

I will answer your question though, in a fashion. 'Approved' simply means that they have been approved by us, personally, to represent our company, on our jobs and work to our standard.

You speak of me 'flogging courses' like I'm some dodgy market dealer looking to make a few shady quid. I'm going to put this in capitals because it is the umpteenth time I've said it and still it isn't sinking in with some of you: THIS IS NOT A MONEY MAKING EXERCISE. THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE HARD EARNED REPUTATION OF MY COMPANY.

I am completely open to ANYONE from a regulatory or H&S body to come and sit on my course to judge both the professionalism and the content. In fact, come to think of it, a course conductor who carried out window cleaning courses nationwide for local authorities was on the first course back in April. He said privately that it was a more informative course than many he had sat on during his training over the years and as professional as any too.

I do not do 'half-baked' it is not in my vocabulary. The information I present is accurate and would stand up should there be an accident. Do you think I'm stupid? I HAVE to now what I'm on about. People in the solar industry want my information that is in my head that I have accumulated over the last few years. I have been invited to speak in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Chile, all of which I have turned down due to family commitments, but I have accepted a number of seminar parts at national solar events. One of which you can view here: http://www.solar-panel-cleaners.com/solar-panel-cleaning-explained-at-energy-now-expo-2015

You lot are so brave sitting behind your PC's aren't you? So many of you claim on websites to be a 'fully trained' solar panel cleaning professional in your area. Some of you have even gone to the lengths of having dedicated solar panel cleaning websites made.

You all poke fun and mock what I have created. But where are you all? Are you in demand by the solar industry or ANY industry for your information? How many articles have you had written for European solar trade magazines? Are I don't even see you giving cards out at trade shows, let alone exhibiting or being asked to speak on such seminars. You know why? Most of you aren't brave enough to stick your head above the parapet and let someone take a shot at you. You don't ACTUALLY know what's involved with solar panel cleaning so you mock the guys who do.

Because YOU wouldn't know where to begin to fill a day with information about solar panel cleaning, you assume no one else can either. We are going great guns. The companies who join us do not regret it. That gives me all the confidence I need to move this business forward and I'd like to thank you folks who have mocked the training course for over 3 years now (yes it has been that long since I mooted the idea) you folks, you are the ones who inspire me and drive me forward. There's no greater feeling in business than proving doubters wrong.

Don't worry about it Steve. Messiahs are rarely appreciated in their own land.   

[telfordwindowclnr]

Or... to put it another way- you've won Stevie Boy... hands down!! Well done!

[telfordwindowclnr]

The way that I look at it Solar Steve has a legal responsibility for the H&S of his network of subcontractors hence why the training day has been put in place.  He is only interested in subs to cover the postcode areas he wants covered that are willing to pay to attend the training day which is fare enough if you want the opportunity to be given work from him.

Nobody is twisting your arm as either you want to work for him or you don't 

+1

[Darranvps]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

[Dave Willis]

I'd rather follow a muck spreader!

[telfordwindowclnr]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

Loving that!  Not sure as I'm in the 'great' category yet though!

[slap bash]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

No picture without punch let me share the same stop light so us stars can shine together. Excuse me I want to herl.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

No picture without punch let me share the same stop light so us stars can shine together. Excuse me I want to herl.

Moderators note: Hi Steve - I noticed this post has brought this thread back to the top - I'm glad you're doing well but if you are interested in advertising please contact advertising@cleanitup.co.uk.

[ChumBucket]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

No picture without punch let me share the same stop light so us stars can shine together. Excuse me I want to herl.

Moderators note: Hi Steve - I noticed this post has brought this thread back to the top - I'm glad you're doing well but if you are interested in advertising please contact advertising@cleanitup.co.uk.

It's not that long ago the main moderator was never finished plastering requirements for contractors all over this place!!

[8weekly]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

No picture without punch let me share the same stop light so us stars can shine together. Excuse me I want to herl.

Moderators note: Hi Steve - I noticed this post has brought this thread back to the top - I'm glad you're doing well but if you are interested in advertising please contact advertising@cleanitup.co.uk.

It's not that long ago the main moderator was never finished plastering requirements for contractors all over this place!!

Yeah, but in order to sub for DM you didn't have to attend a £200 + VAT "training course".

[ChumBucket]

Great to see Steve doing so well.

The rest of you can keep mocking him and getting nowhere fast.

Or you can try and follow great men like us 

No picture without punch let me share the same stop light so us stars can shine together. Excuse me I want to herl.

Moderators note: Hi Steve - I noticed this post has brought this thread back to the top - I'm glad you're doing well but if you are interested in advertising please contact advertising@cleanitup.co.uk.

It's not that long ago the main moderator was never finished plastering requirements for contractors all over this place!!

Yeah, but in order to sub for DM you didn't have to attend a £200 + VAT "training course".

I'd happily attend the course, at £200 it has to be the biggest bargain in CIU history. The cost of One decent local paper advert and you gain a large geographical area for the UK's leading and most prominent Solar Panel cleaning contractor!!
 Just £200 buys you the knowledge that has cost probably hundreds of hours in research, you can apply it to any solar panel cleaning you do and the open and continuous possibility of contracting for good priced work. Bargain!!

[Rich Wilts]

Good priced work?

You mean sub contracting for someone. Whats wrong with getting better priced work yourself and not having to pay the middle man? I have never ever understood the desire to sub-contract for someone else, I mean why bother being self employed in the first place.

Are you in need of work?

Can't you secure your own?

[ChumBucket]

Good priced work?

You mean sub contracting for someone. Whats wrong with getting better priced work yourself and not having to pay the middle man? I have never ever understood the desire to sub-contract for someone else, I mean why bother being self employed in the first place.

Are you in need of work?

Can't you secure your own?

I'm in need of no work, however, my mind stretches beyond the scope of myself and indeed my immediate and current circumstances. I wouldn't go out of my way to clean any domestic solar array- even my own customers. I would however go out of my way to clean larger solar arrays provided the money was right. Even then, it's still my choice whether the money is right or not. If I was to get asked independently of Solar Steve to clean a solar array, I would still have that knowledge gained to take forward with me. It's more likely that in Steve's position and experience, he can price commercial arrays at a price that leaves both him and the contractor with a big smile on their faces.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

199 +vat is  6  credit card size ads in a free paper (6 weeks) I did this two years ago to give it a try , we got no work from it not one job at all

3000+ vat is what a paid to get the post office to drop me 4000 leaflets with the early morning post , we got 2k worth of work back and only 7 regaular jobs utter  rubbish

now 199 + vat seems cheap and worth a gamble to me its 100% tax able so youll get this back at the end of the year and if hes doing the hard work getting the work I am in ! if I got my cash back plus 70% then in the first 6 months  its paid for itself anything after that is profit